Blogging

I want to blog something, anything, honest.

I really really do but it appears that seven weeks in the library until at least midnight drains all of your personality. All you have left is blemished skin due to lack of sleep and stale air. Oh and the anxiety that your still not doing well enough and there's always more left to do.

I am however lucky enough to have a companion for such times. Now, some time away from library world and the absence of my companion.

Lets see if I have some time to find some words and some images and give this blog some life again.

My fringe needs cutting.

Tin't in Tin

Apparently "it isn't in the tin" said with a Yorkshire Accent i.e "Tin't in Tin", is the most Yorkshire sounding thing to say. Its almost completely indecipherable.

I am writing about tins because if they look old and worn with a different design then I love them. I think they're quire a popular thing to collect but I don't care they look good and they are cheap, not to mention the fact that its recycling! Little rusty in parts all different colours and shapes. They please my eyes. They add a decorative, yet useful (and tidy if you keep things in them!) alternative to the usual generic bits and pieces from Ikea.

Me and the boy bought 4 last week at a second hand market in Huddersfield (every Tuesday), they will find a home in an abode we share when we finish uni but providing the stress of the uni workload doesn't kill us they are living on his shelf.

I cant wait to have my own house again but I will need a shop for the overflow of things I buy for it.

 

So this is December

 With it now being December I think its now OK to start thinking about Christmas- thinking not decorating I might add.

Perhaps I sound a tad like scrooge already? It is very likely. I start off every December being quite excited that it is nearly Christmas and look forward to having some time off and eating some brilliant food and drinking copious amounts of wine. I then remember that I am a student and work at Topshop part time which just means that i will be stupidly busy throughout the whole Christmas holidays.

The stress of Christmas eve, desperate to finish work and get away from frenzied last minute shoppers, not risking being hungover on boxing day (or will get trampled in the stampede of sales shoppers) limits Xmas day champagne time and I cant even comment on NYE yet... The first one I will spend not working in two years will most likely be depressingly spent in an old mans pub or a working men's club.

Oh and the dissertation to finish of course.

Rant over. Lets get excited for the next two weeks before the rush begins and I really do turn into ghost of Christmas grumpiness. By this time next year I'll have graduated (hopefully!) and will get a proper Christmas break, roll on Christmas 2011!

To prove I am getting in the mood I will share the best Christmas song of my knowledge (as verified by  the boy playlist maker extraordinaire..) enjoy

Beauty in Decay

It was my fathers, A.K.A Papa Bear, birthday this month and although I have sent his gift horribly late I think i have managed to get him something he will really like.

I first saw some pictures from the book 'Beauty of Decay' in the Times magazine one Sunday a few months ago. The pictures are stunning and the subject matter of decaying and eroding abandoned buildings quite elegant in the eerie light they are shot in. The idea of Urban Exploration (off limits buildings and spaces which are abandoned in urban areas used for creative projects)  appeals due to my obsession with anything old looking and I also love the idea of abandoned spaces being used for something, even if it is just for art and photography.

Some photo's reminded me of being in Berlin, creatives using abandoned spaces for their studios and workshops, its an amazing way of using wasted buildings, something we should use as inspiration.

I bought the book 'Beauty of Decay' for Papa Bear because he had been taking his camera around the country with him on his business trips and taking photos of how we don't look after our country, its a similar theme. I hope he likes it although I cant imagine him wanting to get into urbex himself! My favourite of an old cinema is below, its gorgeous.

Image below from http://www.beauty-of-decay.com/ - Book available on Amazon & Waterstones.

Sunday

It must have been months since i have not been in work on a Sunday so this week, due to the flu I am experiencing what a Sunday is like when your not stood on a shop floor wondering why people even wanted to leave their homes and come shopping.

Luckily I am feeling much better so I decided to cheer my mood by baking, it really is my favourite thing. Banana and cinnamon muffins, I made up a vanilla and ginger syrup frosting which tastes pretty good!

Unexpected Find

This is the beautiful typewriter that I happened upon in my grandparents garage. They didnt understand why I would want it.

It still works too I made some very cool gift labels on it, its fun to play with, me and the boy were very enthused with it, we fought over it like children.

I love it, I cant wait to have a house and a table to display it on!

Upstyling

My new favourite website, not only because it feeds my starving need for Vintage clothes but because there are some brilliant links to some of the Upstyler teams blogs.

I have been going on the website for over a month now and the mix of vintage, high street and designer clothes displayed are a wonderfully eclectic mix of garments which are parse 'on trend' but lend themselves very well to a person wanting a less cloned more interesting/individual/creative look.

Very good indeed, I will be pursuing Upstyler for some time to come I think, plus the beautiful people there sent me a free paper magazine, and who doesnt love free reading material.....ok I like the images.

www.upsyler.co.uk

Oh how I Neglect you

I do neglect this blog, poor thing.
I like reading blogs and spend quite a substantial amount of time online doing so, or stumbling.

Perhaps I should try again to post things on here, seen as I am used to my opinion being ignored anyway it is of little matter whether I do or do not use this blog. That said I wouldnt want to stop since I started it one optimistic day in February, I will get back on the horse.

Hebden Bridge

My new favourite haunt.

Well we went twice over summer but I have decided it will be a haunt.

Just ten minutes drive from my house is Hebden Bridge, an old market town. It is difficult to describe apart from it looks like a quaint, northern, old market town nestled in a vally of the Pennines.

Along with being easy on the eye there are also interesting shops there and old picture house and an abundance of pubs.

I fancy going down there for Jive classes- must rope the boy in to that somehow...

Concluding this ramble is a picture, or two, of a really interesting shop. I am sure i will later show more pictures of my travels down to Hebden as and when i get more (hopefully of the aforementioned jive lessons.... ha!) but for now just the apothecary.

I love old things and bits. Like old tins, old packaging and old kitchen products and equipment.

I want a shop like this but i will have to explain later.

(Oh i forgot to mention i got attacked by a pigeon down there but i am ok now.)

Ashtrays and Holidays

I may have been ignoring this blog again. Apologies.

I have been taking quite a lot of photos to add on to here but simply havent found the time, I have been far too busy having a lovely summer full of baking, nooking, wine-ing and sitting on benches in the sun.

However I feel that autumn is looming and i have moved into a less exciting household than my old world so I will now continue to share my thoughts....

Once you get rid of integrity the rest is a piece of cake.

I'm so into baking at the moment. I made an amazing lemon cake for someone. It was pretty damn good if i may say so myself.

So, baking, its a nice thing to do for people as a gift - example when staying at peoples houses, when meeting new people (win them over) or make it for your returning boyfriend, like i did, who will hopefully appreciate the effort put in to make such culinary masterpieces.

Bake. Bake now.

Unintential

I liked this because it reminded me of some kind of postered up street art, loved the way it was unintentional.

I thought it looked pretty good, my companions agreed.

London

Granted, this is not the finest picture I have ever taken, it was rushed and not really of anything in particular than an image of a small corner of London, Brick lane.

I love London. I love the sense of anonymity, I love the way no one cares about what anyone else is wearing-looking-doing, I love the way that there would be something new to discover every day and something to learn.

I'm certain I have some London years in me and i yearn for it and have done for a long time, its nice that a short day trip to the city only reaffirms my longing for change of pace and city life. I do love Yorkshire but wont be too sad to say goodbye for the streets paved with gold.....

Alternative wrapping paper or recycling at its best?

I am actually going to start using this blog again

and thats that

Ticking Away The Moments That Make Up A Dull Day

Good day musically. It has aided the cleaning of my messy house. Ten of the best:

1. Good Times, Bad Times - The Rolling Stones
2. Wild Child - The Doors
3. Crosstown Traffic - Jimi Hendrix
4. Black Dog - Led Zeppelin
5. Cant you Hear me Knocking - Rolling Stones
6. Time - Pink Floyd
7. Tombstone Blues - Bob Dylan
8. Richard Cory - Simon & Garfunkel
9. Long Cool Women - The Hollies
10. There She Goes Again - The Velvet Underground

Bright Day for Bright Walls

I have mentioned before, not on here, that i think it looks interesting when you can see a house that is being knocked down and see into all the separate rooms, all different colours, wallpapers, sometimes still furniture or things hanging on the wall.
However he made me take this photo, but i had said how i like it before, its a personal thing the home, it always seems a little sad to see it destroyed. This one is looks pretty cool though...

Perhaps i forgot

I think i forgot i had a blog, i think forgot everything for a while, perhaps neglecting things in my ridiculous contented state.

Not that this didn't matter, it wasn't as important

Cemetery Gates

Today, after work I was lucky enough to enjoy the hospitality of my friend at her house with food, beer and conversation.
Again, today the weather has been pleasing, it was still even light when I was leaving work. Oh the novelty.
As we walked up a tremendously large hill on our journey to her home we walked through a substantially large graveyard. It was certainly dusk as we were strolling among the grave stones but I was not perturbed at all by such an act. Why are so many people scared of graveyards and cemetery's? I find it odd.
It probably helps that I ALWAYS have The Smiths 'Cemetery Gates' ringing around in my head as soon as i even see a cemetery. I half wanted to bellow the lyrics out as loud as I could whilst borrowing a bunch of flowers of a grave to fling around my head in a Morrissey fashion but I feared it was disrespectful....

Make My Day!

I keep seeing photo's or things that i would like to take photo's of and wanting to put them on here but i keep either forgetting or getting sidetracked! From now on i will make more of an effort with pictures, one because i want to and two, because it should make this more interesting to look at!

This photo was taken in the Tacheles in Mitte-Berlin.

Accordion

Oh dear, this blog is turning into one giant ramble, probably a good thing my friends must get bored.

I saw a man today playing Moon River on an Accordion. He was as you'd imagine, sat on the accordion box with a cardboard plate laid out for his pennys. Stereotypical outfit, tweed(ish) trousers, grubby white shirt and waistcoat. Its hard to tell whether he was wearing a neck tie (in red with faint paisley patten) as it is definitely what he would wear had he only been a figment of my imagination. It is entirely possible that I added that on.

Moon River, what an amazing choice of music to play down a small alleyway in such a humdrum northern town as we are many many miles away from Breakfast at Tiffany's.

I would have liked to give him some change, but I am really skint at present. I did ensure we made eye contact though and try display my appreciation with a smile. I went too far and added a cheeky wink.

Isn't it nice when a plan comes together?

I wouldn't know.

I think i need to start being more organised, nothing is particularly going wrong at the moment but I appear to be drifting along in my newly found freedom.

I do enjoy the time alone with nothing to do, perfectly content in my own company, in my own space. My home life is all begining to become one long daydream at the moment though, as is the time spent with friends. It is becoming more difficult to distinguish who said what, when and how much wine had been consumed at the time.

I suppose we all must need it.

My Bloody Valentine seem to suit my mood at the moment. The shoegaze enhances my detatchment and daydreaming, in a rather enjoyable way. It helps that the sun has been shining for the past few days also.
Kevin Shields constant sexual references are only increasing frustrations however.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdF4lfdd2NM

Fox Knocker Ramble

Its a good job I have lost my screwdriver otherwise I would be heading back to this door to remove the Fox Knocker.
I like it.
I haven's seen one like this before, usually only animal heads with knockers in their mouths, in my eyes this one looks like a dead hanging fox, maybe I assume its dead because I have a fox fur hat and that's what I think they're good for. Hats and Stoles.
I don't really like my door its UPVC and they just look dull, the older doors have more charm. Granted they're probably not as safe as the UPVC, which would be a concern in my house because of neighbours, they like to try walk into my house to borrow fag's (no doubt I'll have a whinge at some point about them).
I just thought this looked pretty cool, I like the character, it makes me think the house may be beautiful inside or may be the abode of some quirky individual.

Jennifer in the Evening

This may be very difficult. Usually I shy away from letting anyone read anything I ever write, even the most menial of things.

However, this is my first post of possibly many, purely depending on how bored I get of the whole ‘blogging’ idea. Arrogant as it may seem to presume anyone has the slightest interest in anything I have to say, I’m hoping that getting out all the ridiculous thoughts and ideas I have will be therapeutic for me, which is good, for me....

I kind of pity anyone who has the misfortune to come across this blog and expect anything interesting or tries to make any sense of it; I basically just need an outlet for my ranting and musings on a whole array of topics. Perhaps propelling this onto a public platform is the wrong way to go, perhaps it won’t do anything for me and no one will read it but who cares I have nothing better to do with myself right now.